Changes
by sunndive
Summary: After Cody gets shot he has time to think.


Making Changes

This takes place shortly after episode "Echoes"

Cody has had a lot of time to think after getting shot...

Cody was relaxing out on the deck. He was tired and a little sore as he had just gotten back from physiotherapy for his shoulder. His shoulder was getting better everyday but he was tired of being, well, tired. Nick was working on the Mimi and Murray was at the college teaching. Cody realized this was the first time since he was shot that Murray and Nick had left him on his own. Cody looked over at the Roboz and noticed that Murray had him set up the Roboz so that if he needed anything the Roboz would call for help. Cody smiled to himself. Cody thought about taking a pain killer but decided not to. He was enjoying having a clear head. Getting shot sure made you think about a few things though. Joanna, the future and just happy to be alive.

Cody's thoughts drifted back to Joanna and the last time they had spoken. Joanne had dropped by the boat to check on him. He was sitting in the same spot as he was now and had taken the first step to something else...

Cody felt the boat move. He knew someone had come aboard but was feeling a bit lazy and was just about to call out to Nick when he recognized the perfume...

"Hi Joanna," Cody said with his eyes closed and a smile playing around his lips.

"Hi yourself."

Cody opened his eyes. She was standing there smiling at him and looking beautiful in the sunlight.

"What brings you by?"

Joanna squinted into the sunlight.

"Haven't seen you in a couple of days and I was wondering how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, still sore but healing really well. Going to start physio next week."

"Oh, sounds painful," she said with a frown.

"Yeah, but it works."

" Joanna, I have been thinking."

"Oh?"

" Yeah, about you...us."

" Us?"

" Yeah." Cody looks into her eyes. "I have heard that you shouldn't make any big decisions after something like this, you know after a close call."

"OK, how much medication have you taken today?"

Cody laughs.

"I haven't taken anything today, just let me finish, OK?"

" Yeah", she waves her hand at him, "Keep going."

"I think you should give things a month or two before making any final decisions."

" OK,"... Joanna gives him a puzzled look.

"What if in a month or two I dropped by and asked you out?"

"Out?"

"Yeah, out, on a date. "

Joanne's face gets serious and she looks very steadily into Cody's eyes.

"Well, I'd say come by in a month or two and we'll see what I say then."

The police radio squawks.

"I had better go."

"Thanks for coming by Jo."

"See you soon."

Later that day.

Cody, Boz and Nick are sitting at the table in galley. Nick had made an excellent pasta supper. They were all enjoying the afterglow of a good dinner and good wine.

Cody clears his throat.

" Guys..."

" Yeah," says Nick looking up from the plate he is cleaning off.

"I've been thinking."

Nick rolls his eyes, " Oh, oh."

"What does that mean?"

"Every time you think it usually means something bad."

Murray giggles.

"No it doesn't!," Cody says indignantly.

Nick looks at Cody, "One word for you...Tricor"

"Geez Nick!"

Murry adds, "Oh yeah and what about, it looks like a nice day to go fishing?"

"It wasn't my fault it rained!", Cody says exasperatedly.

"It wasn't just a little rain Cody, it was a monsoon! It took days for the Roboz to dry out."

"Never mind then, just forget it."

He gets up from the table, makes a slight grimace as his shoulder catches.

Nick gestures toward Cody.

"Cody, sit down, tell us what you are thinking."

"Obviously you don't want to know."

Murray turns to Cody and says, "C'Mon Cody, we were just teasing. Sit down."

Cody puffs out a breath and sits. He closes his eyes and lets out a breath. He opens his eyes.

"You know I have had a lot of time to think."

Nick smirks and says, "We know this part."

"Would you just stop it and let me get this out."

Murray takes pity on Cody. "Let him talk Nick."

Nick crosses his arms and leans back and looks at Cody with one eyebrow raised.

Cody starts again.

"You know that I have been thinking a lot since I got shot."

Murray gasps. "You don't want to split up the agency do you! I don't think that is a good idea. I know it was a very near thing."

"No Murray, Murray! No we talked about this already. I want to keep the agency running, we just need to be more careful screening clients."

Nick in his direct manner says ," OK, then what is it."

"You know I don't regret things, I don't regret Nam because I met you guys. But..."

"Here it comes," says Nick

"What I do regret is not finishing school."

"School? What! You want to be a lawyer!," Nick almost shouts.

"God no, that isn't what I mean. I just think that I should finish a degree."

"I think that is really boss! Nick don't you think that's boss!"

"I dropped by the college today on the way back from physio. I talked to them about a business degree."

"Cody you don't need a fancy piece of paper to run a business. We do just fine," Nick says with a note of disgust in his voice.

"I know that but I want to finish in a way what I started."

Murray looks excited and pensive at the same time, "Who did you talk to?"

"Her name is Carol."

Nick snorts, " Of course, this is about a girl."

"No, No it isn't. This is about me wanting to do something for me."

"I don't understand why going back to school appeals to you. Everyone is going to be younger than you."

"Well Carol said that there is a specific program for mature students."

Nick snorts.

Murray smiles. "Yes, there is. It is designed for people like you Cody, people who either want to retrain or like you, finish."

Cody takes a big breath, "I want to enroll. "

Nick rolls his eyes.

"That is so boss!"

"Nick I need your support and Murray's."

"Well you have mine, I think it is a boss idea. You could even get an MBA!"

"Well, one step at a time but that is direction that I want to go."

Nick sits back with his arms crossed with a scowl, "Fine do what you want."

"Nick if I go back to school it affects all of us. I just want to make sure that you are OK with the time that it will take away from what we are doing. I am going to try and take a course or two every semester and I will need time to attend class and study.

"I said it is fine." Nick says, making it sound most definitely not fine.

Cody stands up, grimaces as his shoulder catches again when he pushes up off the table and stomps out of the galley.

Murry turns to Nick, "Nick, what is really going on here."

"Nothing. Murray, I don't really want to talk about it OK! If Cody wants to go back to school and put his preppy little alligator back on, then fine."

"What alligator? I don't think Cody has a shirt with an alligator on it. He would have to go buy one and I don't think that is a per-requisite for the course".

Nick sighs, "Never mind Murray."

"Wow, I really think it's boss that Cody wants to go back to school."

"Yeah, boss."

Cody is up on deck, leaning on the railing, moodily staring at the water. Nick comes up behind him.

Nick clears his throat, rubs his hand on his neck. Then leans on the rail beside Cody. "Back to school huh."

"Yeah, maybe you're right, maybe it is a stupid idea."

Nick shakes his head and closes his eyes. Takes a breath, lets it out.

"No, it's not a stupid idea."

Cody turns to look at Nick with a puzzled look on his face.

"I just, well I haven't really ever had a knack for school and I guess I feel a little intimidated."

"I don't understand."

" You and Boz are smart."

"What!?"

"You are going to go to school and meet all these really smart people and then come home to me, boring stupid Nick. Nick who doesn't get the pi jokes. Nick the jock and the mechanic."

Cody looks at Nick, "Nick the best friend in the world, Nick the guy who gets me, Nick the guy who is the best damn pilot around."

Nick just shrugs.

"Nick you have nothing to worry about. I don't have a lot in common with the people at school, I just want to do this because I can now, I have a chance to complete something. I don't want to be a drop out anymore."

"It is really important to you." Nick says as a statement, not a question.

"Yeah, but if you don't want me to go back. I won't."

"You would give this up if I say no."

"Yep."

"Now that is stupid."

Cody throws up his hands in frustration.

"What do you want from me Nick!"

"I want you to do what you need to do for you. I just...no argyle socks OK."

"Nick going back to school doesn't mean I want to change who I am. I don't want the argyle socks, I want this friendship and this agency. School could help us make this agency into something that makes a bit more money. I don't want a fancy office or anything like that. But being able to afford steak a little more often would be nice. "

"What you don't like my pasta!" Nick says with a smile.

"Nick"

"OK, go back to school , I see how important it is to you. But I reserve the right to burn any argyle socks or alligator shirts that start to appear."

Cody pulls Nick in for a hug.

"Thanks buddy."

Feb 2020


End file.
